Visitor Policies

Brigham and Women's Hospital is a patient- and family-focused environment. We understand the need of our patients to have visitors and the need of family and friends to provide support to their loved one while in the hospital. The health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff remains our top priority.

Mask and Screening Policy Update

Please note that our screening and masking policies have changed effective May 12, 2023 following the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

Learn more about our mask and screening policies

Inpatients

Patients admitted to the hospital are allowed up to two healthy visitors at a time between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. There are no restrictions on the total number of visitors per day.

Support Persons are considered in addition to the two visitors. If more than two visitors arrive at a time for a patient, they may visit the following available waiting spaces:

Garden Café, including a patient/visitor distanced dining zone
75 Francis Lobby
Cohn Courtyard Tent
45 Francis Lobby
Connors 1 Lobby
Alcoves along the Pike, including the one by Thorn
Shapiro Bridge
Hale Atrium
Fish Lobby
Stoneman Park
Hale Ground Floor Schlager Lobby

Labor and Delivery

Patients in Labor and Delivery are allowed two Support Persons with no additional visitors.

Postpartum

Same as inpatient areas, described above.

Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Updated June 9, 2023

Parent(s) and banded caregiver(s) are welcomed and encouraged to spend time with their infant(s) at any time, including clinical rounds. In emergency situations or periods of extremely high activity, the RN may ask the parent(s) and banded caregiver(s) to step outside the patient room or unit for a brief period, during which they may go to the family waiting area or the main lobby of the NICU.
Staff will educate parents, caregivers, and visitors about the importance of protecting other infants’ and families’ privacy by not discussing other infants’ conditions or care. Parents, caregivers, and visitors must remain at their infant’s bedside or in designated areas for families and visitors.
Infant Security: All banded caregivers (once discharged from the hospital), adults, and visitors must submit either a photo ID or have their photo taken. The photo and information will be input into our Infant Security Platform. a. All adults who will be visiting a neonate in the NICU will be asked to check in to the Center for Women and Newborn (CWN) first-floor security desk. The CWN 1 security desk will print a daily badge before arriving to CWN 6 (NICU). All banded caregivers should have their baby band & badge on during their time in the NICU.
1. Children under the age of 18 are not required to obtain a badge on CWN 1 for their visit.
Effective Monday, April 3, 2023, siblings of neonates in the NICU may visit provided all the following provisions are met: a. If a sibling/child is visiting, they must have a caregiver available to watch them apart from a parent/banded caregiver visiting their baby for safety purposes.
1. Before a sibling can visit, the parent/banded caregiver will be asked to complete a questionnaire to ensure the sibling is free from infection or exposure to any infectious disease.
2. Any child who visits the NICU must be vaccinated against childhood communicable diseases with their parents/guardian/banded caregiver attesting accurately to this information. If the team becomes aware of any risk to the safety of the vulnerable inpatient NICU population, the team has the right to deny entry to those visiting children in the NICU.
3. The parent/caregiver is responsible for the behavior and safety of the visiting sibling.
For infection control and safety purposes, no more than three adults OR two adults and two siblings (as defined as < 18 years of age) per family are allowed at an infant’s bedside. With multiple babies, we ask that these numbers remain the same per family, not per newborn.
While parents or banded caregivers are welcome and allowed to visit 24/7 (barring any unforeseen circumstances), visitors, including siblings, may visit between 11 am -8 pm. This aligns with the rest of BWH and the Center for Women and Newborns. Exceptions to these times can be made with medical and nursing leadership.

Outpatients

One patient visitor or support person is preferred in select outpatient areas, however up to two visitors/support people may be allowed. Outpatient areas where two visitors are allowed include office visits.

Some outpatient areas still allow only one patient visitor or support person. These areas include the emergency department, surgical or procedural rooms, or clinics.

Please note that in some situations, we may need to limit visitors to ensure patient and staff safety.

Emergency Department

A single visitor or Support Person is permitted in the Emergency Department to accompany the patient. Visitation may be restricted due to space constraints per local leadership.

Support Persons may include but not be limited to: a guardian or other legally authorized decision-maker, family member, caregiver, personal care assistant or another disability service provider knowledgeable about the patient's care.

Visitors under the age of 18

Visitors under the age of 18 are allowed
Some visitors under the age of 18 may not require an accompanying adult (for example, an adolescent visitor who travels independently). When an accompanying adult is needed, accommodations to permit the accompanying adult as an additional visitor are at the discretion of local leadership. Please have your loved one speak with a member of their care team in this situation.

Visitor Requests/Exceptions

Any exceptions to the current visitor policy must be reviewed and approved by Brigham leadership. These decisions are based on clinical reasons. Please contact your provider if you would like to discuss an exception.

Check your symptoms

Please delay your visit to one of our facilities if:

You develop any of the following symptoms:
Fever or chills
Cough, congestion, or runny nose
Vomiting or diarrhea
New skin rash (with fever)

or
You are diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19 within 10 days of an appointment.

Visitor Questions

Family and friends who wish to learn about a patient's status can call 617-732-5500. Immediate family are asked to please identify one primary family member to contact the patient's nurse directly on the unit. Please note that patients have the right to limit access to information and condition.

Please refer to the Mass General Brigham Visitor Policy for additional information.